Chris Christie Throws Down With Eric Bolling and Defends Trump Attacks in Contentious Interview

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) threw down on Newsmax Tuesday night while defending his 2024 run against Donald Trump in an at-times tense interview with Eric Bolling.

Bolling and Christie both pulled no punches during the interview, which given Christie’s scathing criticisms of Trump and Newsmax’s editorial line was likely to be heated from the get-go.

The interview began with a discussion of Trump facing another looming indictment from the Justice Department, which Christie said he would wait to comment on until seeing the indictment itself.

The conversation ramped up as Bolling turned to January 6th and Trump’s conduct that day, the focus of the ongoing DOJ investigation.

“Chris Christie, the man, the father, the human, the politician, the contributor to ABC. Chris Christie, do you think Donald Trump had an interest in inciting the overthrow of the American government that day?” Bolling asked Christie.

“Quite frankly, I don’t think he cared one way or the other, Eric. I think what he wanted was to stay in office and I don’t think he cared one way or the other what was going to happen,” Christie responded, adding:

In fact, if he really did care he would have done what he said he was going to do when he stood on the Ellipse. He said, let’s march up to the Capitol together and I’m going to go with you. He went nowhere near it, Eric. He didn’t care what was going to happen up there. He sent people up there to put pressure, I believe, on Mike Pence and on members of Congress to stall the peaceful transition of power.

And he said as much later on when he said that it’s okay to suspend the Constitution. You can’t take an oath, Eric, to say you’re going to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and then say it’s okay to suspend it.

Bolling then asked Christie, “Why are you running? Governor, why are you running? You know, Donald Trump is, he’s got like 53, 56%, if you believe the polls or any given poll. You’re down in the single digits. I mean, what motivates Chris Christie to run for president?”

“Is it to take out Donald Trump or Chris Christie is sort of fulfilling some sort of, I don’t know, emotional void you’re looking for? Why are you running?” Bolling pressed.

“All right. Well, Eric, are you a psychiatrist today? You know, if you’re a psychiatrist, spend more time on the former president than you will on me,” Christie shot back.

Christie later pushed back hard on the notion Trump shouldn’t face Christie on the primary debate stage given his low polling numbers.

“He should be on that stage because he owes it to the Republican Party voters to get on the stage, defend his record and talk about his vision for the future. Is he scared to get on the stage, Eric?” Demanded Christie.

“Would you be his vice president if he asked you?” interjected Bolling.

“No,” Christie insisted.

The conversation turned to Mike Pence, who Christie defended. Bolling criticized Pence for a response he gave on Ukraine in a recent interview with Tucker Carlson.

“Not what he said, but that’s okay,” Christie shot back, accusing Bolling of mischaracterizing Pence’s remarks.

“We shouldn’t have people on Capitol Hill chanting ‘Hang Mike Pence,’” Christie added.

“No question,” agreed Bolling.

Christie then praised Pence for “the service he gave to Donald Trump for four years. And Donald Trump said that was okay. That’s the kind of president we want, Eric?”

As the interview wound down, Bolling thanked Christie for coming on and sparring with him.

“I know it gets contentious, but you know, you’re a stand-up guy and I appreciate you coming on the show and, you know, getting in the ring. And that’s what we need. We need fighters. We need political fighters. Thank you, sir,” Bolling concluded.

Christie ended by saying he would be back.

Watch the full clip above via Newsmax.

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